Order of the Triad
The Order of the Triad is a fictional adventuring organization from the Adult Swim animated television series The Venture Bros. The Order consists of Doctor Byron Orpheus (voiced by Steven Rattazzi), Jefferson Twilight (voiced by Charles Parnell), and the Alchemist (voiced by Dana Snyder). In some episodes other characters served as unofficial fourth members. Members Dr. Byron Orpheus While necromancer Dr. Orpheus is a recurring character on the show, the Order's other two members were introduced in the second-season episode ''Fallen Arches''. Orpheus seems to be the group's leader, mostly because of his position with his master and because he seems inclined to take charge. He has also stated that he refuses to introduce The Alchemist and Jefferson Twilight to The Master, due to Twilight's inability to keep from soiling himself in horrific situations, and Al's sexual orientation.''What Goes Down, Must Come Up'' Jefferson Twilight Jefferson Twilight (called JT by the team) is a black adventurer who has dedicated himself to fighting black Vampire, or "Blacula," because they killed his mother when he was ten years old. He carries two swords on his back, which he uses to decapitate the vampires (he states that the only way to kill a Blacula is to cut off its head). Additionally, he collects the fangs from the Blaculas he kills and wears a necklace decorated with the teeth. Twilight's left eye is slightly discolored, which he calls his "Blood Eye," and appears to help him detect the location of nearby Blaculas. Twilight resembles Marvel Comics' vampire hunter Blade as well as sharing the vocal characteristics of Samuel L. Jackson, and some traits of blaxploitation heroes. He served in the United States Marines as a tank commander, and claims to raise carrier pigeons on his roof. The Alchemist The Alchemist (nickname Al) is, as his name implies, an alchemist. He physically resembles a stereotypical Christian Monk, wearing a cassock-like garment and tonsure hairstyle. He is somewhat short and slightly paunchy, although he comments that this is due to inactivity since the group's disbanding. While he reluctantly admits to seeking the philosopher's stone (as a general metaphor for enlightenment), he is more actively searching for a cure for AIDS and hopes his heroic career will help bring the attention that cause needs. He is openly and unselfconsciously homosexual, as confirmed by his own word in [[Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)|''Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)]],'' and has been in relationships - his latest one ended badly when he found out his boyfriend was cheating on him via MySpace (thus leading to his open hatred of the internet). His powers are somewhat ill-defined thus far, although he helped to incapacitate a villain with what seemed to be a Latin chant, apparently knows various forms of magic, opened a door with a wave of his hand, and he appears to have obvious knowledge of alchemy, judging by his extensive laboratory. The Alchemist has stated that he can always tell when someone is telling the truth, a fact acknowledged by Dr. Orpheus. Unnamed Sullustan In the season 2 finale [[Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part II)|''Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part II)]], the Order of the Triad accidentally conjured a Sullustan from a ''Star Wars trading card. The hapless, unnamed Star Wars character briefly joined the Order of the Triad (even taking a turn at introducing himself in his incomprehensible alien tongue as the Triad's emblem flared behind him). He assisted the Order of the Triad by piloting the X-1 (in Star Wars mythology, most Sullustans are assumed to be good pilots) so that the group could attempt to rescue the Venture family. When the X-1 collided with The Monarch's Cocoon, the Sullustan was apparently killed. Master Billy Quizboy Master Billy Quizboy, in the season 4 episode ''The Better Man'', was offered honorary membership in lieu of compensation for performing brain surgery on The Outrider. Group History The group defended the world from supernatural threats, and was founded before Dr. Orpheus met his wife Tatyana. The group disbanded some time after Orpheus had his daughter Triana Orpheus, leaving The Alchemist to continue his research on the Philosopher's Stone and Twilight to continue hunting "Blaculas". The group seems to have been separated for sixteen years; at least, Orpheus and Twilight have not seen each other for that long. They apparently split up to go their separate ways and pursue their own careers, such as Dr. Orpheus' "job" of balancing good and evil in the cosmos (a nod to his similarities to Doctor Strange). Twilight also mentions Orpheus' marriage (since divorced) and daughter (now grown), although it is unclear whether these relationships contributed to the Order's dissolution. Reformation The Order reunited when the Guild finally approved Orpheus' numerous petitions for a supervillain archenemy under the mistaken impression that he was a member of a team of heroes. All of the Triad's members seemed happy to reunite, with the Alchemist stating that a high-profile nemesis would bring him greater publicity and support for his research on a cure to AIDS. The team interviewed numerous applicants for archenemies, including Doctor Girlfriend in her former identity as "Lady Au Pair," but settled on an Australia villain named Torrid. Torrid secured the role by kidnapping Dr. Orpheus's daughter Triana, which he then openly admitted to in his interview. While the villain interviews were conducted at the Venture Industries compound (where Orpheus and his daughter lived), no definitive base of operations has been established yet. In the season 7 episode ''Arrears in Science'' the group looked to purchase a former synagogue turned studio building at 58-60 Rivington Street in New York City for use as their new headquarters. The Alchemist noted that it had three floors, a garage for the Triadmobile (AKA "The Blood Vessel"), and a "Dr. Strange window". Dr. Orpheus seemed most intrigued by the last part. Symbol The Order has its own distinctive symbolic gesture somewhat similar to that of Team Venture: the three members form a triangle with their forearms. The triangle, etched in red, embellishes itself with mystical symbols such as an all-seeing eye and a two-headed snake. Episode Appearances Season 2 * Fallen Arches * [[Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)|''Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)]] * [[Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part II)|''Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part II)]] Season 3 * The Buddy System * What Goes Down Must Come Up Season 4 * ''The Better Man'' * Operation P.R.O.M. * From the Ladle to the Grave: The Story of Shallow Gravy Season 5 * A Very Venture Halloween Season 6 * All This and Gargantua-2 Season 7 * The Venture Bros. & The Curse of the Haunted Problem * Arrears in Science Gallery Triad1.png Triad.jpg References Category:The Venture Bros. characters Category:Superhero teams Category:Groups